Courage
by CatrinCullen
Summary: From Bella's POV


Bella's POV

PREFACE

Like a possessed woman, an object out of place should always be returned without fault to where it belongs. To put things right, courage, love and sacrifice.

CHAPTER 1

"Just for a few days, my Dad needs me, plus Renee will be there, she's travelled from Arizona, we've been over this loads of times" I said quietly, sifting through my enormous wardrobe, courtesy of Alice.

"Renee?" Edward asked coolly, trying to camouflage his apprehension.

"Yeah" I said simply disguising all my inner fears, "She thinks I've disappeared into thin air, she's scared to her core, Edward", mental pictures of my erratic Mom freaking out whizzed violently around my head, her horror struck face as I walked in, her gasp, her vulnerability.

"What about her reaction, do you want me to come with you?" Edward whispered

"I was hoping Alice would determine her reaction, its okay Edward, I want to do this alone" I held out my arms and looked at myself in the mirror, twisting my petite torso. I was changed whilst I was still vastly underweight. "They need an explanation, I look totally different, and I haven't seen her in over a year, sure my Dad knows, but it would be impossible for Renee, she lives in Arizona, the sun" I rolled my eyes "That's why I asked her to come here" I swallowed

"Well hurry back home, I'll miss you" Edwards said quietly

"I'll miss you too" I hushed, placing my hand on his shoulder, then tapping it, "Come and visit, I'll try and crank my bedroom window open so you can come in" I said, zipping up my suitcase and slipping a high pair of wedged heels on.

"Don't smash it" Edward chuckled to himself "I'll come over at night; I'll bring Alice and maybe Jasper with me"

I pecked him on the cheek and made my way to the door, "See you later" I said quietly, "Which car shall I take?" I asked

"My Volvo, we don't want to give her a heart attack turning up in the Vanquish" Edward said softly, following me towards the door.

I nodded in approval, "You're right, and tell Renesmee I'll miss her" I rocked swiftly onto my tip toes and pressed my lips to his, "A few hours" I murmured to myself, breaking away and darting into the forest, clutching my prop of a suitcase. Edward threw his car keys through the air as I darted into the forest; I snatched them quickly and continued towards the garage, where I would collect the car.

CHAPTER 2

When I got to the garage, Alice was leaning casually against Edward's Volvo car door.

"Hi" she squeaked, budging off the side of the door I was about to get in, "Renee will be shocked, just say the right thing, you've already planned it by the time you get to the house, Charlie will answer the door and Renee will be waiting in the living room" she pecked me on the cheek as I slipped in, "Me, Edward and Jasper will come over later" She winked, slapping the rear of the car like they do to Taxis.

Jasper slipped into the garage, and stood beside Alice, "Act human" he said, already calming me down with his supernatural gift, "Flip your hair, cough, cross your legs, you know the drill" he trailed off with a smile

I laughed, "Yeah, I do, see you later", I said through my open window, purring the car to life.

CHAPTER 3

I turned erratic and nervous as I turned the corner to my street, the familiar houses in high definition whizzing by me. _Stop being nervous _I growled to myself, towing the car into the driveway. Just go in, tell her about how you underwent some surgery after the honeymoon that everything is okay, and be calm.

I knocked timidly on the door, two heart beats accelerated with it.

"Hey Dad" I said coolly, holding my breath as Charlie leant towards me for an embrace.

"It's good to see you Bells" Charlie said, gesturing me towards the living room. I swallowed, jeez Bella, it's your Mom, relax! Shut up Bella, last time she saw you, you didn't look like a blood drinking monster. Bella, it'll be fine, just smoothly lie, but I'm such a bad liar! I argued and collaborated with myself, Charlie swung the door open.

I clamped my eyes shut and walked in, _mellow dramatic a bit? _I thought stupidly to myself

"Bella?" My Mom said through ragged breaths, her voice questioning me.

I flipped my lids up to see my Mom; she used her arms to support her as she got disjointedly to her feet from the armchair, as if she were an aged woman in need of aid. My Mom looked so breakable and fragile, her skin almost translucent, her eyes wide in horror, her mouth left breathless and open, her heart quivering like a leaf in the wind.

"Hi...Mom" I said huskily, approaching her slowly and exaggerating my movements.

"But Bella is that...?" she breathed, her eyes flickering towards Charlie.

"I hope Dad explained" I said quietly, my eyes flickering to him too.

"You look..." she swallowed "so different" she slurred looking light headed; she extended her shaking arms out to me in an embrace, and I held my breath, she shivered at my temperature.

"I had surgery Mom, strictly need to know" I said, quoting Jacob and taking a seat on the lumpy sofa.

"I don't understand" she whispered, her entire body shaking, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Come on Renee, I explained, she looks different" Charlie shrugged; I already knew Charlie would take it better than my Mom.

She sighed sharply, her eyes blazing onto mine through her gushing tears.

"It's okay Mom, everything is okay" I assured her, awkwardly looking to Charlie for support.

"She's still our Bella" Charlie said in a low-key tone, nodding at me, I nodded back.

I stared at them, my parents, my loving familiar parents. So shaken and disorientated.

CHAPTER 4

The rest of the afternoon was filled with idle chatting, the odd stepping stone where I would scramble in my brain for a lie to mull their questions over with. I was no longer my Mother's open book. When I felt the venom deteriorating my contact lenses, I would slip into my familiar bathroom and change them. As the evening drew in, Mom made a casserole for us, she spent a while in the kitchen as me and Charlie watched TV. I forced each mouthful down, feeling the bland slither of human food trickle my throat. About an hour later, Mom crashed on the sofa and Charlie headed up to his room, followed by his loud snores.

After thanking them and pecking them both on the cheek cautiously, I stifled a yawn and headed off to my bedroom. I swung my door open to my untouched bedroom; my eyes began to thaw with dry emotion, my human memories bursting freely into my mind. I shook my head, breathing the scent of my human body in deeply.

After taking an unnecessary shower, I heard the approach of Jasper, Alice and Edward; they pounced through the midnight air up to my bedroom window. Alice knocked needlessly on my window, I cranked it open, it groaned in protest.

"Hi" I squeaked, letting them in. They scattered themselves around my room.

"What's wrong Bella?" Jasper asked anxiously, my emotions catching up with him, sorrowful.

"It's just the memories" I smiled, tapping Edward to calm his antsy expression.

"How did it go?" Edward asked me calmly, "Did she take it well?" He raised a perfect eyebrow.

"Um..." I shrugged, "No screaming, just shaky uncertainty and tears, she was numb" I said looking to the floor and twiddling stupidly with my thumbs.

"It went very well Bella, think of all the things she could have done! I bet you predicted she'd take it really bad. Edward tells me she unconditionally trusts you, she's a faithful woman" Alice chucked, swinging around on my swivel chair.

"I know she is Alice, but she's an emotional rollercoaster" I chuckled, "Can we go somewhere? I've been trapped in here a while" I said abruptly, peeking towards my open window, my fiery demanding tension in the hollow of my throat aggravated me, "We could show Alice and Jasper our meadow?" I said tenderly.

"I knew it" Alice murmured happily, a smile peeking across her lips, "Let's go"

There was no point in fighting with Alice, the decision was final, we would go to the meadow.

CHAPTER 5

With my parents fast asleep, we sprang from my window, the amazing feeling of being involved, not having to cling to Edwards back, instead I soared with them, weaving through the obscure blur of the woods which flew behind us. We made idle conversation until we met the fringe of our meadow.

When we stopped, I again felt the relentless tingle in my lids, the emotion piling up inside me, the memories. I could tell Edward mirrored my feelings, as he rested his smooth hand in mind.

"Our meadow" we croaked almost at the same time, a little syncopated, soprano and bass.

Alice and Jasper turned to us and smiled, Jasper fiddling with our emotions, pouring a pool of delirium and delight over us, Edward didn't mind, neither did I. We walked arm in arm, almost like a wedding procession to where the moon beamed exultantly into the heart of our small, but perfectly formed open meadow.

The loveliest, most enchanting place I had ever seen. Speckled with wildflowers, apricot amber, indigo or violet and a faded ivory, a fantasy land where fairies would dance, tickling their wands in the air and dotting all the magic under the gullible eyes of humans. Somewhere nearby, I could hear the plonking, bubbling music of a stream flowing tranquilly.

Edward and I, stood in the spotlight of the moon, our hands intertwined, and finally in the matching temperature.

_Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age,_

_The child is grown, and puts away childish things._

_Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies._

Edna St. Vincent Milay


End file.
